Chapter 22
Jay
That was, without question, the most incredible sex I’ve ever had, even beyond what we shared in Florida.
Back in that crowded hotel room, the sex was phenomenal, but there were barriers I didn’t think we’d ever be able to overcome. But here, now, nothing is holding us back.
Aiden’s weight presses me into the cool sheets, his chest rising and falling against mine. My legs are hooked around his hips, drawing him impossibly closer, his cock still pulsing inside me. I feel transported, as though I’m floating just above the mattress.
How is this even my life right now?
“Am I smashing you?” Aiden murmurs, his voice low and ragged.
“Yes,” I gasp, “but I don’t care. That was amazing.”
I arch into him as he eases off, just enough to let me draw full, trembling breaths.
He trails a lazy kiss along my collarbone.
“That was incredible, baby,” he whispers, and we stay locked in this blissful state, our bodies fused at every point of contact, savoring the aftermath of our raw intimacy.
Gradually, his cock softens, and he pulls out. I immediately miss the connection between us. We both laugh at the sticky mess, and he starts to slip off the bed to fetch a washcloth.
“Wait,” I say softly, reaching up to gently cradle his face.
Looking into his eyes in the dim glow of the lamp, I need to say this before the moment slips away.
“I love you, Aiden. I always have.”
The words spill out, raw and urgent, my heart pounding with the truth of it.
He cups my cheek, his thumb brushing away a bead of sweat.
“I love you, too, baby. I always will,” he says, his kiss fierce enough to make my heart skip.
I’m so in love with this man.
Getting lost in more kisses until the cum dries, Aiden finally goes to the bathroom. When he comes back with a damp cloth, he gently wipes away the evidence from my skin and then curls around me again, his arms a gentle vise.
We drift into sleep, tangled together, the lamp casting gentle halos on the walls we were too tired to turn off.
In the middle of the night, I wake up to a firm pressure poking against my back. Aiden is twitching, a low moan escaping his lips. I slip my hand down his thigh, feeling the hard line of arousal.
Sliding down to take him into my mouth, I find him warm and slick, the salty tang of pre-cum coating my tongue.
I swirl it along the ridge of his length, sinking deeper until his broad mushroom head rests at the back of my throat.
Easing out, I get a firm grip at the base, stroking up, squeezing more liquid from the tip for me to taste.
“Mmm, baby, that feels so good,” he rumbles, half-lost in a dreamy haze. “Take me down your throat.”
I do as he asks, sliding him in and out with measured strokes, my lips sealing around him with firm suction.
My hand mirrors the rhythm, pinching the base as I pump upward, sucking him like a vacuum.
Within moments, his hips jerk, his breath catches, and he spills warm release down into my waiting mouth.
“Fuck, that was amazing,” he breathes, his eyes glimmering with satisfaction as he guides me up for a kiss. “You really know how to suck a dick.”
I grin against his lips. “Why, thank you, it’s a special skill,” I tease. “You must have been having a good dream. You woke me up with your cock jabbing me in the back, panting in my ear.”
He chuckles, trailing kisses down my neck, his breath hot behind my ear. “I don’t remember, but I won’t complain about how you woke me up. Now, let me return the favor.”
And he does, bringing me to a shuddering third climax in less than twelve hours, waves of pleasure cascading through me until my vision swims and my muscles quake. Exhausted, we curl together in the inky dark, Aiden’s steady heartbeat the last thing I feel before sleep claims me again.
This morning is a stark contrast to the day before.
When I woke up yesterday, I was trapped in self-inflicted misery, desperately longing for Aiden to where I could barely function, paralyzed by fear and insecurity.
I didn’t know how to bridge the gap between us or how to express what I needed.
But that one question—do you ever think about Florida?
—was all it took. Aiden seized that small opening and met it with everything I’d been too afraid to ask for. And now, here we are.
I woke up before him, his arm draped around my waist, strong and warm, anchoring me to his side.
I haven’t moved, afraid to disturb him. Instead, I’ve let myself soak it all in—the press of his body against mine, the soft dusting of hair on his chest tickling my back, and the slow, steady sound of his breath in my ear.
I’ve dreamed of this a thousand times, and I want it to last.
The cats, mercifully, have stayed asleep until a few moments ago, when Maisy opened one eye, saw I was awake, and padded over to Aiden’s side. She rubs against him insistently, her purring vibrating the mattress.
Aiden stirs. “Mmm,” he murmurs, pulling me tighter, his lips brushing the sweet spot just below my ear.
The kiss sends a shiver down my spine.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning,” I whisper, turning to face him and wrapping my arms around him, wanting to get closer.
“God, you feel good.”
He kisses me deeply, our bodies shifting together in a slow, sleepy rhythm. Our hands roam, our breaths catch, the moment teetering on the edge of something more until the cats start in with their morning demands, a chorus of meows and yowls that make it clear—playtime’s over.
Aiden groans, shooing them off the bed and slipping out from under the covers. “I hear you, you filthy beasts,” he mutters, rubbing his face as he heads for their food bowls.
I chuckle and stretch before heading to the bathroom to take care of business.
As I wash my hands and slip into a clean pair of underwear, Aiden steps into the bathroom, his hand brushing my back as he passes.
He takes a leak right in front of me, like we’ve been doing this forever.
The casual familiarity of it makes me smile.
In just a few hours, we’ve shifted from just friends to something so much deeper. We’ll need to have the define-the-relationship talk sooner rather than later, but for now, I’m happy just being here with him.
“I hate to say it,” Aiden says, tugging a clean T-shirt from his bag, “but we should probably hit the road. We’ve got a long drive ahead, especially since we cut things short yesterday.” He shoots me a grin. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“I’m not complaining either,” I reply. “And thank you.”
“For what?”
I walk over to him, wrap my arms around his neck, and kiss him firmly on the mouth.
“For being braver than me. For saying how you feel. I’ve wanted this for so long but couldn’t find the nerve. You took the leap and got us here.”
He cups my face with both hands, gazing at me like I’m the only thing that matters in the world.
“Baby, we were always going to get here. I just needed to be sure you were ready. I want us to go the distance, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure we do.”
He pulls me into a warm, lingering hug, and I allow myself to melt into him. For so long, I didn’t believe I deserved this. But with Aiden, it feels possible. Like maybe I do deserve to be loved this deeply.
We finish packing, grab a quick bite at the hotel, and then get back on the road. Another long day of driving lies ahead, but this one is different—kisses at gas stations, hands held across the center console, and the steady, confident knowing that we’re both all in.
The next three days fly by in a blur of motion and happiness.
We drive, laugh, play road games, and belt out our favorite songs at the top of our lungs. We spend the nights making up for lost time, wrapped in each other’s arms. I don’t want the trip to end, but I know it’s inevitable.
By Saturday afternoon, with just a few hours left of our journey, reality creeps in. The Columbia River glitters to our right as we cruise along I-84, the late-day sun shimmering over the water. I reach across the console and take Aiden’s hand.
“Hey,” I say softly. “We should probably talk about tomorrow. Do you still want me to return the van to Portland?”
“Oh, right,” he says, glancing over at me. “Yeah, you probably should. I wish you didn’t have to leave, but I know you’ve got work.”
A new project starts for my team on Monday, and I have to be in the office for at least a few days. The thought of going back to that dreary, cold apartment alone fills me with dread.
“Me too,” I say softly. “But I’ll see you next weekend?”
“Of course. Do you want to come to Astoria, or should I go to Portland?”
“I’ll come to you. I can help you get settled, and maybe we can hit the beach or something.”
He smiles. “I like that idea.”
We arrive in Astoria completely exhausted. After unloading only the essentials—just his mattress, linens, and a few boxes—we order dinner from the restaurant downstairs and then collapse. Neither of us has the energy for much else. We fall asleep before even kissing goodnight.
I wake up the next morning wrapped in Aiden’s arms, his breath warm against the back of my neck.
The weight of reality presses heavily on my chest as doubt and uncertainty swirl in my gut. I have to leave him today and go back to my lonely life. We just got each other back, and now I have to walk away, even if only for a few days.
After breakfast and a little more unpacking, the clock catches up to me.
“Hey,” I say reluctantly, “I’d better get going.”
He walks me to the van, and the silence between us speaks louder than words ever could. We’ve always been bad at talking about feelings. We’re just two guys who’d rather joke or flirt than admit we’re afraid of losing what we’ve just gotten back.
At the driver’s door, Aiden stops me. He cups my face with both hands, his eyes searching mine.
“I love you, baby. Never forget that.”
“I love you, too,” I whisper, and then he kisses me, slow at first, then deeper and hungrier.
I run my fingers through his hair, trying to memorize the feel of him. It still doesn’t seem like enough. All too soon, I pull away.
My chest aches as I start the van and drive off alone, watching him disappear in the rearview mirror.
I coordinated with my mom to pick me up after I returned the van, so I’d have a ride home. I’d been texting her throughout the trip, keeping her updated on our progress and sending photos from the road.
When I toss my duffel bag into the back seat and slide into the passenger side, she reaches across the console and pulls me into a firm hug.
“It’s so good to see you, sweetie. I’m glad you’re home safe.”
“Thanks, Mom. I really appreciate you picking me up.”
“Of course,” she says, smiling. “It gives me a chance to catch up with you before your busy week. So…” She glances over at me. “How did things go with Aiden?”
I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. “Really good.”
“Yeah?” she presses, her eyebrow raised. “Are you going to tell me what that means?”
“We’re together,” I say, beaming. “I know you kept telling me to talk to him, but I kept chickening out. Then I finally worked up the nerve to ask one simple question, and everything changed. He didn’t hold back.” I can’t help but get choked up. “He loves me.”
It’s a good thing we’re still parked because tears quickly gather in her eyes. She squeezes my hand, smiling through them.
“Oh, Jayson, I’m so happy for you. I knew you two were meant to find your way back to each other. You deserve this.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I say, my voice thick. “I really am happy. I just hope we can figure out the logistics. Even though he’s in Oregon, he’s still too far away.”
“You’ll figure it out. Just give it time.”
She drops me off, and I head up to my apartment. The silence hits hard. After days of being together constantly, the space feels hollow.
Over the following days, we text all the time and talk at night, but it’s not the same. We’ve only truly been together for less than a week, yet it already feels like I’ve left a piece of myself behind.
Work fills the hours, but not the emptiness. The new project is demanding, and being surrounded by people all day only drains me more.
The nights are the worst—quiet, lonely, and haunted by old voices telling me I’m not enough. That Aiden will come to his senses, and he’ll realize he deserves someone sexier, simpler, and less complicated.
By Wednesday morning, I’m running on fumes. The day hasn’t even started, and I’m already exhausted. Maybe this weekend we’ll talk about what our future looks like.